Designer Tours
Escapes
Fully escorted day trips and short escapes — Victoria's wine country, hot springs, coastal heritage and countryside. Departing from your club or retirement village.
Yarra Valley
The Yarra Valley is Victoria's most celebrated wine region — a gentle 60-minute drive from Melbourne into a landscape of rolling vineyard hills, cool-climate wineries, native wildlife and one of Australia's most beloved steam railways.
Whether it's the nostalgia of Puffing Billy, a sit-down lunch at Yerring Estate, the delight of hand-feeding kangaroos at Healesville Sanctuary, or the simple pleasure of too much chocolate at the Chocolaterie — a day in the Yarra Valley is genuinely hard to beat.
Available Yarra Valley Escapes
Coombe Yarra Valley — Dame Nellie Melba's Estate
Step behind the famous 600-metre cypress hedge at Coombe — the 1909 estate of opera legend Dame Nellie Melba — just 50 minutes from Melbourne. A guided walk through seven acres of William Guilfoyle-designed gardens, a group lunch at the estate restaurant, and a cellar door tasting of Coombe's estate wines. High Tea is available on Wednesdays and Sundays.
What You'll Do
- →Journey through the Yarra Valley — morning tea en route
- →60-minute guided garden walk at Coombe Yarra Valley
- →Group lunch at the Coombe estate restaurant
- →Cellar door wine tasting — Coombe estate wines
- →High Tea option available on Wednesdays & Sundays (from $179pp)
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club or village
- ✓Morning tea stop en route
- ✓60-minute guided garden walk
- ✓One-course group lunch at Coombe restaurant
- ✓Cellar door wine tasting
- ✓Fully hosted touring experience
From
From $195 per person
Single supplement: Not applicable
Best for:
Groups with an interest in Australian history and culture — Dame Nellie Melba is one of Australia's most celebrated figures, and Coombe's gardens are genuinely beautiful. A graceful, unhurried day.
Yarra Valley Dairy, Yering Estate & High Tea at Chateau Yering
A beautifully unhurried day in the heart of the Yarra Valley — morning tea at the iconic Yarra Valley Dairy, a cellar door tasting at the prestigious Yering Estate, and a classic High Tea at the grand Chateau Yering. Indulgent, relaxed and perfectly suited to a group looking for a truly special day out.
What You'll Do
- →Morning tea at the Yarra Valley Dairy
- →Cellar door wine tasting at Yering Estate
- →High Tea at Chateau Yering
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club or village
- ✓Morning tea at Yarra Valley Dairy
- ✓Cellar door wine tasting at Yering Estate
- ✓High Tea at Chateau Yering
- ✓Fully hosted touring experience
From
Price on enquiry
Single supplement: Not applicable
Best for:
Groups who appreciate good produce, great wine and the pleasure of taking their time — a graceful and indulgent day in one of Victoria's most beautiful regions.
Puffing Billy & Yarra Valley Wineries
Board the legendary Puffing Billy steam train through the Dandenong Ranges fern forests, then enjoy a hosted wine tasting and sit-down lunch at the beautiful Yerring Estate — a wonderfully relaxed and memorable day in the Yarra Valley.
What You'll Do
- →Morning tea in the Dandenong Ranges
- →Puffing Billy steam train ride (Belgrave to Lakeside)
- →Wine tasting and sit-down lunch at Yerring Estate
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club
- ✓Puffing Billy ticket
- ✓Hosted wine tasting & sit-down lunch at Yerring Estate
- ✓Morning tea
From
$195 per person
Best for:
Groups who want a mix of nostalgia, wine and fun — consistently the most popular Yarra Valley format.
Yarra Valley Wildlife & Wine
Spend the morning among kangaroos, wombats and koalas at Healesville Sanctuary, then move on to two prestigious cellar doors for tastings and a winery lunch. Finish with a sweet stop at the Chocolaterie.
What You'll Do
- →Healesville Sanctuary — guided wildlife encounters
- →Winery tasting at Rochford Wines
- →Long lunch at Yering Station Estate Restaurant
- →Final stop — Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club
- ✓Healesville Sanctuary entry
- ✓Wine tastings & lunch included
- ✓Chocolaterie stop
From
$195 per person
Best for:
Groups who love wildlife as much as wine — a wonderful balance for mixed-interest groups.
Yarra Valley Wine & Dine Overnight
Two days living at the heart of the Yarra Valley wine country. Stay overnight at the beautiful Chateau Yering, enjoy exclusive morning barrel tastings, take a guided winery tour, and spend a leisurely second afternoon exploring the valley before returning to Melbourne.
What You'll Do
- →Day 1: Morning tastings at Four Pillars Gin Distillery, afternoon at Domaine Chandon
- →Day 1: Check in to Chateau Yering
- →Day 1: Long dinner at the vineyard restaurant
- →Day 2: Exclusive barrel room tour and morning tasting
- →Day 2: Lunch at a winery, Chocolaterie stop, return to Melbourne
What's Included
- ✓Return coach
- ✓1 night boutique vineyard accommodation
- ✓Breakfast, dinner + Day 2 lunch
- ✓All tastings and entry fees
From
$595 per person twin share
Single supplement: $120 per person
Best for:
Probus clubs and social groups wanting a proper overnight escape rather than a rushed day trip.
Mornington Peninsula
Victoria's most beloved leisure escape — and for good reason. The Mornington Peninsula offers an exceptional range of experiences in a compact, accessible area just 80 minutes from Melbourne.
From the world-famous Peninsula Hot Springs (the finest outdoor thermal experience in Australia) to award-winning Pinot Noir, dramatic coastal clifftops, gondola rides above the state forest, and the iconic rainbow bathing boxes — this peninsula genuinely has something for everyone.
Available Mornington Peninsula Escapes
Hot Springs, Wineries & Cape Schanck
A perfectly balanced day — three hours of relaxation at the famous Peninsula Hot Springs thermal pools, a hosted wine tasting and long lunch at Red Hill Estate, and a scenic walk along the Cape Schanck lighthouse boardwalk above Bass Strait.
What You'll Do
- →Morning arrival at Peninsula Hot Springs — 3 hours in thermal mineral pools
- →Hosted wine tasting at Red Hill Estate
- →Sit-down lunch at Red Hill Estate Restaurant
- →Scenic drive to Cape Schanck Lighthouse
- →Boardwalk walk with Bass Strait views
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club
- ✓3-hour hot springs entry
- ✓Hosted tasting & lunch at Red Hill Estate
- ✓Towel hire included
From
$295 per person
Best for:
Groups who want to truly relax — the hot springs are the highlight of every Peninsula tour, especially in cooler months.
Gondola, Wine & Bathing Boxes
Ride the Arthur's Seat Eagle gondola 305 metres above the state forest for sweeping bay views, visit two of Red Hill's best cellar doors for Pinot Noir tastings, and end the day with a photo stop at the famous Mornington bathing boxes.
What You'll Do
- →Arthur's Seat Eagle gondola ride (seated, no walking required)
- →Cellar door tasting at T'Gallant Winery
- →Long grazing lunch at Green Olive at Red Hill
- →Photo stop at the iconic Mornington bathing boxes
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club
- ✓Gondola ride tickets
- ✓Wine tastings
- ✓Grazing lunch
From
$285 per person
Best for:
Groups who want dramatic scenery and a relaxed, gentle day — the gondola requires no walking and suits all mobility levels.
Peninsula Indulgence Overnight
Two days exploring the full width and depth of the Mornington Peninsula — coastal villages, clifftop lighthouses, world-class wineries, and the famous hot springs. Stay overnight in Sorrento or Portsea for a true peninsula escape.
What You'll Do
- →Day 1: Arrive Sorrento, township walk and harbour lunch
- →Day 1: Cape Schanck Lighthouse and boardwalk
- →Day 1: Check in to Sorrento accommodation, dinner in town
- →Day 2: Morning at Peninsula Hot Springs
- →Day 2: Red Hill wine tasting + long lunch, return Melbourne
What's Included
- ✓Return coach
- ✓1 night quality accommodation Sorrento/Portsea
- ✓Breakfast + 2 lunches + dinner
- ✓Hot springs entry
- ✓All tastings
Best for:
Clubs wanting the full peninsula experience — a proper overnight stay in one of Victoria's most beautiful coastal towns.
Bellarine Peninsula
Victoria's hidden gem — and one of the most underrated touring destinations in the state. The Bellarine Peninsula sits at the western entrance to Port Phillip Bay, 90 minutes from Melbourne via Geelong.
Unlike its busier neighbour the Mornington Peninsula, the Bellarine offers a more relaxed pace and a genuinely distinctive experience: the historic township and harbour of Queenscliff, Australia's finest 19th-century coastal fort, freshly harvested Portarlington mussels, cool-climate Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio from the Bellarine Taste Trail, and panoramic Bay views from Jack Rabbit Vineyard.
Why the Bellarine is special for senior groups
Fort Queenscliff is Australia's best-preserved 19th-century coastal fort and deeply resonates with the 65+ age group. The Portarlington Mussel Tour is a one-of-a-kind experience — a working seafood operation that no other Melbourne coach operator runs regularly.
Available Bellarine Peninsula Escapes
Queenscliff Heritage & Wine Trail
Explore the beautifully preserved heritage township of Queenscliff, take a guided tour of the iconic Fort Queenscliff, walk to the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse for Bass Strait views, then enjoy a long leisurely lunch at the celebrated Jack Rabbit Vineyard overlooking Port Phillip Bay.
What You'll Do
- →Guided tour of Fort Queenscliff (Australia's finest 19th-century coastal fort)
- →Walk to Point Lonsdale Lighthouse — Bass Strait panorama
- →Queenscliff township — heritage buildings, harbour and foreshore
- →Hosted tasting and long lunch at Jack Rabbit Vineyard
- →Optional stop at Scotchmans Hill Winery
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club
- ✓Fort Queenscliff Museum entry & guided tour
- ✓Wine tastings
- ✓Sit-down lunch at Jack Rabbit Vineyard
From
$229 per person
Best for:
Groups with a love of Australian history — Fort Queenscliff resonates especially well with the 65+ age group and is unlike anything on other day tours.
Bellarine Mussels & Wine Discovery
One of the most distinctive day tours in Victoria. Take a guided tour of the Portarlington mussel and oyster leases on Port Phillip Bay, watch a live cooking demonstration and taste the freshest seafood you'll find anywhere, then move on to the Bellarine's best wineries for a long afternoon of wine and views.
What You'll Do
- →Portarlington foreshore picnic arrival & morning tea
- →Guided Portarlington Mussel Tour — lease visit, cooking demo, tasting
- →Bellarine Taste Trail — Oakdene Vineyards for wine tasting
- →Long lunch at Terindah Estate with Port Phillip Bay views
- →Return via Geelong Waterfront
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club
- ✓Mussel Tour entry & tasting
- ✓Wine tastings at 2 cellar doors
- ✓Sit-down lunch with bay views
From
$249 per person
Best for:
Groups who want something genuinely different — the Portarlington Mussel Tour is a one-of-a-kind experience that no other Melbourne coach operator runs regularly.
Bellarine Overnight — Fort, Mussels & Wine
Two days discovering why locals love the Bellarine so much. Arrive in Queenscliff for the historic fort and harbour, stay overnight in one of the peninsula's charming guesthouses, then spend Day 2 on the Bellarine Taste Trail — mussels, wineries and bay views — before returning to Melbourne.
What You'll Do
- →Day 1: Fort Queenscliff guided tour
- →Day 1: Queenscliff township, harbour walk and dinner
- →Day 1: Overnight at a Queenscliff heritage guesthouse
- →Day 2: Portarlington Mussel Tour
- →Day 2: Jack Rabbit Vineyard lunch with bay views, return Melbourne
What's Included
- ✓Return coach
- ✓1 night Queenscliff accommodation (breakfast included)
- ✓Fort Queenscliff entry
- ✓Mussel Tour
- ✓Winery lunch
From
$679 per person twin share
Single supplement: $120 per person
Best for:
Clubs looking to be genuine explorers — this is an overnight tour to a region that most Melbourne visitors have never fully experienced.
Phillip Island
One of Victoria's most iconic destinations — Phillip Island sits 90 minutes south-east of Melbourne at the entrance to Western Port Bay. Its rugged coastline, protected wildlife and world-famous Penguin Parade make it a perennial favourite for visitors of all ages.
The Little Penguins of Phillip Island are one of Australia's great natural spectacles. Every evening at sunset, hundreds of the world's smallest penguins emerge from the sea and waddle up the beach to their burrows — an experience that is genuinely moving for everyone who sees it.
Available Phillip Island Escapes
Phillip Island & Penguin Parade
One of Victoria's most iconic day trips — explore the dramatic coastline and wildlife of Phillip Island before the magical Penguin Parade at sunset. Hundreds of Little Penguins waddle ashore from Bass Strait to their burrows as the sky turns golden — an unforgettable experience that never gets old.
What You'll Do
- →Churchill Island Heritage Farm — historic farm buildings and native wildlife
- →The Nobbies coastal boardwalk — sweeping views to the Seal Rocks colony
- →Phillip Island Nature Park visitor centre
- →Penguin Parade — hundreds of Little Penguins at sunset (reserved grandstand seating)
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club
- ✓Churchill Island entry
- ✓Penguin Parade grandstand seating
- ✓Morning tea
From
Contact for pricing
Best for:
Groups who want a quintessential Victoria wildlife experience — the Penguin Parade is one of Australia's most beloved nature encounters and resonates with all ages.
Black Spur & Yarra Valley
The Black Spur is one of Victoria's most spectacular mountain drives — a 30-kilometre route through towering mountain ash and ancient tree ferns in the Central Highlands, connecting Healesville to Narbethong in the heart of some of the tallest hardwood forest on earth.
Combined with a leisurely sit-down lunch at the historic Black Spur Inn and an afternoon at the Yarra Valley's finest cellar doors, this makes for one of the most memorable — and visually stunning — day tours in Victoria.
Available Black Spur Escapes
Black Spur & Yarra Valley Wineries
Drive through the majestic Black Spur — a breathtaking mountain route through ancient mountain ash forest and giant tree ferns in Victoria's Central Highlands — then descend into the Yarra Valley for a sit-down lunch at the historic Black Spur Inn and a relaxed afternoon at the region's finest cellar doors.
What You'll Do
- →Scenic drive through the Black Spur — towering mountain ash & ancient fern gullies
- →Sit-down lunch at the Black Spur Inn, Narbethong
- →Cellar door tasting at a boutique Yarra Valley winery
- →Second winery stop for tastings and vineyard views
- →Optional visit to Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club
- ✓Scenic Black Spur mountain drive
- ✓Sit-down lunch at Black Spur Inn
- ✓Wine tastings at 2 Yarra Valley cellar doors
From
Contact for pricing
Best for:
Groups who love spectacular natural scenery combined with great food and wine. The ancient mountain ash forest of the Black Spur is unlike anything else in Victoria.
Eltham
Eltham is one of Melbourne's most distinctive outer suburbs — a leafy township with a deep creative heritage, home to Australia's oldest continuously operating artists' community and a thriving craft spirit scene.
This is a day tour for groups who want something genuinely different. From the medieval-inspired buildings and galleries of Montsalvat to a private cocktail masterclass at Naught Gin Distillery — it's a wonderfully unexpected combination that generates real conversation.
Available Eltham Escapes
Eltham Arts & Gin — Montsalvat & Naught Distillery
Discover the artistic soul of Eltham on this one-of-a-kind day tour. Explore Montsalvat — Australia's oldest continuously operating artists' community, founded in 1934 — with its medieval-inspired buildings, galleries and beautifully landscaped grounds. Then finish the day at Naught Gin for a private cocktail masterclass or gin tasting.
What You'll Do
- →Morning arrival at Montsalvat, Eltham
- →Guided tour of the historic artists' community — galleries, Great Hall and studios
- →Lunch at Montsalvat's café and winebar
- →Afternoon at Naught Gin Distillery, Eltham
- →Private cocktail masterclass or gin tasting session (group choice)
What's Included
- ✓Return coach from your club or village
- ✓Entry to Montsalvat artists' community
- ✓Guided gallery and grounds tour
- ✓Lunch at Montsalvat café and winebar
- ✓Naught Gin cocktail masterclass or tasting session
- ✓Fully hosted touring experience
From
Price on enquiry
Best for:
Groups who love art, culture and something genuinely different — Montsalvat is unlike anywhere else in Victoria, and the Naught Gin masterclass makes for an unforgettable finish to the day.
Ready to Book Your Group?
All Escapes tours are fully escorted with pick-up from your club or retirement village. Singles and couples are very welcome alongside groups. Contact Nicole to discuss dates, group size and pricing.